ivehadenoughnow

I've been drinking heavy since about 1999. I'm so functioning but I'm a sham. I'm a triathlete, well training at least, and if anyone knew that I drank a bottle of wine or more each night they would be shocked. I'm the only guy I know that has little body fat, a resting heart rate of 55, but that is a complete drunk. I'm ashamed and want to change. Can you all help me through this?

Threshold

welcome. You've come to the right place. You absolutely can stop drinking and get as "functioning" on the inside as you are on the outside.

ivehadenoughnow

Thanks I know it is late. My wife knows what I am but everybody else I know thinks I'm Mr fit. The body of an athlete but the body of an alcoholic. Liver is swollen and tired and I'm tired. Money in the bank but I wake up so hungover that I can't run a good business. I think it is time. It is time to change. I need some friends and council to do so. I'm ready.

mecanix

If you want to quit this is about the best forum i've looked at to assist and give encouragement . It's entirely possible for you to be able to do this .

Have a look round the forums to learn stuff and ask questions , "secular conections" has secular 12 step and non-AA threads and information and then there is also plently of AA stuff about if thats for you.

There is also the class of september thread which you can just post on and message and chat with others just starting out .

The important thing is to not give up , even if you stumble at the begining .

Bestwishes, M

ivehadenoughnow

Great can I get some links? Accountability is huge and I quit chewing tobacco through a similar method.

mecanix

Alcoholism-12 Step Support - SoberRecovery : Alcoholism Drug Addiction Help and Information

Secular Connections - SoberRecovery : Alcoholism Drug Addiction Help and Information

Secular 12 Step Recovery - SoberRecovery : Alcoholism Drug Addiction Help and Information

Alcoholism - SoberRecovery : Alcoholism Drug Addiction Help and Information

here are some links, first time i've tried doing links though ... just click the bit of writing at the top of your browser
SoberRecovery : Alcoholism Drug Addiction Help and Information > if it dont work ...

M

DarkDays

Of course you can quit and regain control, if I can you can

Just think how better your triathlon training will be without alcoHELL.

Good luck.

Dee74

welcome ivehadenoughnow

Have you any ideas about a plan ?

will you see a Dr about your liver pain?
thinking about AA or some other recovery group?

D

Sapling

Go to an AA meeting today...Sit and listen. See if you can relate to it. I did and it was like sitting in a room full of people just like me. It won't cost you anything...And it won't hurt you. Good luck to you. This is a great site for online support.

ebshot

Hi ivehadenoughnow. I too am a triathlete and an alcoholic. I am very new to sobriety but I have found a lot of good advice on this forum and at AA. It isn't an easy road to recovery but it isn't impossible. You can do it.

ivehadenoughnow

Thanks for your PM and post. I'm active on BT but since I've developed friendships I think it best to keep them separate. One of the things that made me accelerate my drinking of late is smoking cigs at night after my wife goes to bed. We used to do it together and then we both quit in Feb. For some reason I stay up late, just to smoke and drink at the same time as it elevates the buzz I guess. I abstained Tuesday and had plans of abstaining the entire week but instead have managed to binge two straight nights. When I'm hungover like I am today and was yesterday it is tough to go to work and produce much. It also gets me depressed and my training sessions in the pool or on my bike are at 50%. I trained for a race much of the summer and was really focused and although I still drank during that time I kept it to a minimum(2-3 glasses) most nights and went to bed early with my wife. Then I got a stress fracture and had to stop running, which I love, and can only swim/stationary bike. I think I need to sign up for a race as for some reason it really drives me to think about tomorrow. The last two weeks I have not been thinking about tomorrow, it has only been in search of a buzz that evening. I guess what drove me to come here is that the doctor yesterday took my pulse and checked my blood pressure. My heart rate was 55 but my BP was 140/90. She said in 20 years she hasn't seen anyone that was as fit as I am but with hypertension. Anyways, I'm ready to rally, but I need motivation and forums have always done that for me. I'd like to make today day one. One more thing. I had researched L-Glutamine as a supplement that helps with the cravings for alcohol. The 3 nights I did not drink over the last couple weeks was because I planned not to do so and because I took 5 grams of LG right during the witching hour. It works really well, but only if you are determined not to drink in the first place. Will you help me through this? I could use the help and it is nice to to see someone who shares a similar hobby in triathlons.

Mizzuno

Welcome! You can do this! The first week for some is the hardest. You are taking a very good step in the right direction. I needed support when I stopped drinking and this forum has been wonderful.
I am not a tri-athlete but I do have a LOVE to run. I know what it is like to get out there and to feel like you can't even give it 50%. It's one reason why I quit. I have a thousand more. My goal is to run a Marathon this spring. We can all help you!
Its one step in front of the other!

Mizzuno

Check out the Kicking Asphalt thread. Its for everyone and is devoted to out workouts and such.

freshstart57

Welcome, I'veHadEnoughNow, to the team here at SR. There is lots of support for you here, in whatever direction you choose to follow.

I don't share your triathlon hobby, but someone with the drive and self direction that you obviously have will do well, I am sure.

You say that for you, personal accountability is huge. OK, have some of this then. I quit by stopping drinking. That means that one day I drank, the next day I didn't, I haven't since, and that was over a year ago. I decided, I made the conscious choice to accept responsibility for my drinking, and responsibility for getting sober too. I refused to continue to buy in to the self - deception surrounding alcohol for another day. So I found some Big Boy Pants in my size and put 'em on.

You already have everything you need to stop drinking, and that is you. Already, you separate your mind from that feeling of lactose buildup in your muscles that happens near the end of a race, so separating your mind from this urge for a drink is trivial. Your most significant predictor of success will be your determination to prove me right.

There are lots of tools that you can use to move forward. Two that are very effective for many are Urge Surfing and Addictive Voice Recognition Technique (AVRT). Both are self awareness type tools that allow you to become aware of urges to drink and to separate from them.

What's left over when you figger all this out? What's left is the person that you know, the one that you are missing right now. You can drop your BP by taking some pills, or just cut out the primary cause of the hypertension, your drinking. You can do it.

tswhite

i found this forum last month and it has helped a lot! congrats on staring your journey!

seanie1888

I agree with the guys above, think of the times you'll be doing once you ditch the booze

ebshot

Don't be afraid to reach out. Some of my best friends are from BT and they have been with me in my darkest moments. But I know all too well how hard it is.

Have you talked to your wife about your drinking? How about your doctor? Being honest with everyone about your drinking (including yourself) is only going to help you on your sobriety journey.

I have to say, giving triathlon advice is way easier than sobriety advice.

ivehadenoughnow

My wife knows everything about me. She doesn't "get it" because she can take it or leave it. She barely drinks and is an excellent influence. Plus another bonus is I get lucky a lot more when I'm not drinking! I don't blame her!

youbetcha

When I came into "recovery" and stopped drinking over 20 years ago now ( in my mid 20's) I was a walking contridiction too. I was a second degree blackbelt in a traditional Karate style, a natural. I worked out constantly, taught classes and was perceived by people who didn't know me very well as someone they wanted to be like. My body could still handle the all nighters, but I was in serious emotional pain and had no clue who I was. I really just wanted to be at peace w/myself but didn't know how. Consequenses caught up w/me and I eventually brought myself to "the rooms" along w/pressure and help from a few people, and after trying to stop on my own many times, the usual story. I had so much will power in so many areas of my life, that it was so hard to admit alcohol had me beat. When the alcohol was gone I had a lot of work to do. This is the journey, all the best to you!

Sapling

Welcome to SR youbetcha....Congrats on 20 years....That's awesome.....Nice to have your ESH here!